"Nieuport Scout colour scheme in RNAS service" Topic

Anyone got good guides? Ospreys show Nieuports in White. But they served in mixed squadrons with 1 1/2 Strutters and Pups which were in PC-10 mostly.

Did Nieuports re-paint?

Anyone?

Ta John FOA

Try this site:

wp.scn.ru/en/cat

Which Squadron?

Looks like 8, 9, and 10 Naval?

Depends on the Nieuport type and the date – clear doped linen, aluminium dope, French brown and green camo, and PC10 were all used on some British Nieuports. (Never white – any "white" looking representation is likely clear doped linen or aluminium dope, depicted badly.). RNAS Nieuports were mainly early models – 10s and 11s, so predominantly CDL. I can't offhand think of a unit that mixed them with Pups and Strutters though.

I can't vouch for the source, but this is why I posted…

(squadron, aircraft, service dates from/to)

Britain 8(N) Nieuport 17 10 1916 12 1916
Britain 8(N) Sopwith 1.5 Strutter 10 1916 11 1916
Britain 8(N) Sopwith Pup 10 1916 2 1917
Britain 8(N) Sopwith Triplane 2 1917 9 1917
Britain 8(N) Sopwith Camel 9 1917 4 1918
Britain 208 Sopwith Camel 4 1918 11 1918
Britain 9(N) Nieuport 17 2 1917 6 1917
Britain 9(N) Sopwith Pup 2 1917 6 1917
Britain 9(N) Sopwith Triplane 2 1917 7 1917
Britain 9(N) Sopwith Camel 7 1917 4 1918
Britain 209 Sopwith Camel 4 1918 2 1919
Britain 10(N) Nieuport 12 2 1917 5 1917
Britain 10(N) Nieuport 17 2 1917 5 1917
Britain 10(N) Sopwith Triplane 2 1917 7 1917
Britain 10(N) Sopwith Camel 7 1917 4 1918

…from an old file saved way-back-when labeled:
WW1%20aircombat/data/aircraft%20by%20squadron

Checking Les Rogers some of those dates look iffy (the end dates look like when the last airframe was struck off or returned, which was sometimes rather later than when they stopped actually using them in combat), but basically alright.

In terms of actual combat employment 8 and 10 had mixed equipment for only an odd few weeks before re-equipping, while 9 actually used a mixed bag for several months as per your list, which I must confess is entirely new to me.

Offhand I'm drawing a blank on RNAS Nieuport 17 photos – the RAF page for 209 has a drawing of one in PC10 overall though. Will try to remember to have a rummage in my library tomorrow, as I have a couple of decent Nieuport books somewhere….

I have "A History of No.6 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service in World War I" by Westrop. It has pictures of British Nieuport Company produced 17Bis machines in PC10.

Mark

Thanks TMPers

I must say that my impression of Nieuports was that they arrived as being produced. Almost as if RNAS/RFC order 'x' number and the factory sent whatever they were producing. The only serious sources I have are the Ospreys (I'm new to WWI air) they say that no records of types were kept, all were classed as Nieuport scouts. Occasionally engine size is added as a descriptor. These do indicates that first purchases were 11/16 but that when replaced it was with later marks and that Sqdns finished with the 17bis.

It is that elusive colour scheme I'm after.

Again thanks – Hey Dom (or anyone else) swing by stand at Partizan if you're there.

Onomarchos/Mark

Any further markings on that Ni 17bis? Serial number, roundels (unlikely), fin marks etc.

Ta John FoA

Having a quick skim I've found several photos of Nieuport 17 bis (the rounded fuselage version) in naval 6 – all are aluminium doped, with stripes or large aircraft numbers in most likely red, and blue cowlings. No fuselage roundels. (I seem to recall reading that the British built ones were very late deliveries; the aluminium doped ones were presumably French supplied.)

Naval 8 Nieuports I can't find much on, beyond one photo of a Nieuport 17B (Nieuport 21 in French parlance – a flat sided Nieuport 17, but with an 80 HP engine.) Colour's debatable – could be French brown and green camo, or possibly just an overall olive drab, can't really differentiate. It has the name BINKY on the side in largeish white capitals – the same was later repeated on one of Naval 8's triplanes, so presumably the same pilot.

Dom. (Likely to miss Partizan, unfortunately.)

This book is a very good source:

link

Yep, that's where I found those photos. :-)

Cheers

Quick third look at Naval Aces WWI vol 1 shows a Ni 11 in green – is that French green, it's not PC-10?

It looks like a washed out French Napoleonic Artillery green

Will consult the pennies for source – appreciate the pointer.

TTFN John FoA

Yeah, some of the French-built ones were delivered in a kind of olive drab – definitely a green as opposed to the browner PC10. On a few of the French-supplied British Nieuports there's disagreement as to whether they were overall green, or in the 2-colour French green and brown camo – it can be hard to differentiate depending on the type of black and white film used.